The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-09-16

Farmers Discussing Means Of Equal Tax
alton.

Ameeting Of the Maryland State Farmers
nesday. The attendance was small. The only
representatives from Hartford were Messrs.
Edward NJ. Allen and Thos. A. Hays. The
object of the meeting was to hear the report
January to consider the system of taxation
in Maryland, point out its defects and sug-
gest improvements by which taxation could
be equalized, in accordance with the spirit
and letter of the Constitution.
The report strongly favors the taxation OF
mortgages. 1t also discusses income taxa
ton, which the committee considers would
be to the advantage of the agrculturists, and
fayors exemption of improvements upon
farms. To amend alleged defects in the pres
ent method for correcting the tax list the
committee recommends system of blanks
for yearly returns ofall property and invest
menls, and that every person owning pro-
perty or securities of any kind be required to
procure blank from the tax collector, and
make return under oath or affirmation The
committee prepared draft for tax law in
which provision is made for the taxation OF
mortgages as well as all other property for
the prevention of contracts compelling one
person to pay anothers' taxes for the exemp-
ton of improvements which do not add to
the agricultural or commercial value of land;
for an annual revision OF the tax list, and for
a correction of valuations upon the princi-
pie now used in most ofthe States, and by
methods adapted to the present subdivisions
OF our State. The method proposed, 1t is
claimed, avoids the enormous expenses OF the
old system of general assessments, the crea-
tion of an army of assessors and an expen-
siye board Of review to undo the work of the
assessors.
Mr.. Allen, of Hartford, moved the rejection
of the report butit was accepted. A motion
to adjourn until December was made, but
this, too, was opposed in vigorous language
by MIR. Allen, who wanted the subject dis.
cussed then, and said there was no use in
waiting until after the members of the LegIs.
lature are elected The greater part of the
taxes, said Mr.. Allen, is paid by the poor
men of the State, and the convention should
do the thing it came to do.
The convention finally adjourned until
December, with the hope ofhaving a larger
meeting.
The subject is indeed one of the most i'm
portant that could be discussed, and there Is
no danger of saying too much upon it. 1t is
obvious that the burden of taxation is I'm.
equally distributed and that farmers bear
more than their share in proportion to the
value of their real and personal property. 1t
is too much, perhaps, to expect a sudden. and
radical change in the existing order ofthings,
but beginning should be made, and it seems
to us that the farmers, who know where the
shoe pinches, are better able to discuss it in
diligently from their stand point. than to
leave the subject to the Legislature, in which
there are so many conflicting interests and
so many subjects demanding attention, that
scarcely any one is thoroughly examined
and properly acted upon. Our-law.makers
need all the light they can get, and although
there were but few present at the meeting on
Wednesday, the fact that those few were there
showed their interest in the subject, and if it
had been discussed calmly no doubt some
sound principle might have been evolved as
a starting-point in the cause of equal taxa.
ton,